Cross My Line
by CrypticGirl
Summary: The sparks fly between Senel's group as Norma struggles to write a song to beat Harriet in the annual talent show. Concluded 10.21.06.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Tales of Legendia, its characters and places are the property of Namco.

Author's Note: I hadn't planned on putting Solon in this story, but just Vaclav and two Terrors seems kind of weird. Hey, someone has to replace Stingle.

---------------

The town of Werites Beacon was a lively and cheerful place. The citizens were very close-knit, even with the top authorities such as Madame Musette and the Bantam Bouncers. As such, the town often held public events to keep everyone close together.

Senel and the rest of the party entered the fountain plaza, where Curtis of the Bantam Bouncers was in the middle of an announcement.

"Yes, friends, it's time for the annual talent show!" he called. "The time of year when the town gets to see what you're made of! You have three weeks to come up with your talent! Good luck, and we'll see everyone here! For love!"

The Bantam Bouncers left the plaza, and the citizens went back to their ordinary activities. Senel's group faced each other.

"Talent show?" Senel asked.

"Yes, it's a yearly event here in Werites Beacon," Will explained. "The citizens display their best talents and compete for prizes."

"What kind of talents to they show?" Chloe asked.

"There are many talents, but most people sing, dance, or paint. But really, any unique talent would be welcome."

"What kind of talent do you have, Will?" Shirley asked.

"Well, I haven't entered the talent show myself," Will told her. "But this is the first year that I'm living with Harriet, so I'd like to see her enter."

"Just leave it to me!" Norma said. "I know I can convince Hattie to enter!"

"All right, let's head back to my place."

-------------

The group returned to Will's place to see Harriet.

"A talent show?" Harriet asked.

"That's right. The show is held every year in Werites Beacon," Will told her. "I'd like to see you enter. I'd like to see what kind of talent you have."

"Don't be silly! What am I going to do in a talent show?"

"You can do whatever you want. Whatever you're good at. I'm still getting to know you, so I don't really know what you're good at. What do you enjoy doing?"

"Well...I used to draw a lot."

"Great! You can put together your best drawing and enter it in the talent show," Will said.

"No! I don't want to enter some dumb old talent show!"

Will let out an exasperated sigh.

"Teach, let me try." Norma stepped in front of Harriet and crossed her legs in an innocent pose. "Hey Hattie, I bet I'm more talented than you."

"What?" Harriet snapped.

"In fact, I have more talent in my pinky than you have in your whole body," Norma added.

"Says who?"

"Says me!"

Jay realized what Norma was doing and decided to join in. "Come on now, Harriet. You're not going to let her talk like that, are you?"

"No way! I'll show you how talented I really am!" Harriet replied. "Norma, you'll be eating your words when I win the talent show!"

"Great! Then I'll see you there!" Norma turned and began to leave.

"What?" Harriet paused for a moment as she realized that she had just been suckered into entering the talent show. "Hey, you tricked me!"

"That's because I'm better than you," Norma taunted as she left the house.

"Oooh!" Harriet stomped her foot so hard, the entire room quaked. "Dad, how could you let her trick me like that?"

Will smiled. "Don't worry, Harriet. I'll be here to support you every step of the way."

Harriet only glared at him.

"You know, this talent show sounds like fun," Shirley said. "I think I'm going to enter, too."

"Really?" Senel asked. "What are you going to do, Shirley?"

"I've always wanted to try painting myself."

"Well, I'm going to see what Norma is going to do." Senel turned and left the house as well.

Norma stood in the front yard, thinking to herself.

"Norma?" Senel called. "What do you have in mind for the talent show?"

"Me? I'm going to write a song," Norma said.

"Like you could actually win the talent show with a song."

"Well, even if I don't win the big prize, there's no way I'm going to lose to Hattie. She's not going to beat me with some stupid drawing."

Senel sighed. "Hoo boy..."

------------

The Legacy's bridge had been dark and empty since that battle with Commander Vaclav. However, the darkness was about to be penetrated.

The lights flickered on in the bridge, and a man with red armor and purple hair stepped to the center. Behind him were two of his officers; a woman with a horned helmet, and a masked ninja.

"Perfect, the bridge is under our control once again," the man said. "Cashel, Melanie, let's get to work."

Melanie saluted. "Yes, Commander Vaclav."

Cashel saluted as well. "Right away, sir."

"The time will soon be at hand," Vaclav continued. "We shall have our vengeance against Senel and his little party."

"I can't wait to dispose of that stupid bandit," Melanie said.

"I'd like to get back at that kid in the magician clothing myself," Cashel added.

Vaclav took a moment to recall the members that the Terrors spoke of. "Moses Sandor...the notorious bandit who formerly hid beyond the Misty Mountains. He then moved his band to the Forest of No Return, until Cashel supposedly disposed of them."

"Yeah, those bandits would have been dead were it not for that goody-two-shoes traitor Stingle," Cashel said.

"Stingle never betrayed us," Melanie pointed out. "He was just too merciful for his own good. He disappeared after we were defeated. No one knows what happened to him."

"Cashel, the one you spoke of was Jay the Unseen, correct?" Vaclav asked. "He's well-known for having more information than anyone about what's happening around the Legacy. It must have been Jay who led Senel's group to us. Therefore, I agree that he must be eliminated."

"Yes sir," Cashel said.

Just then, the door slid open behind them. Vaclav, Melanie, and Cashel all spun around, surprised. They had not expected anyone else to follow them. A man in a light blue jacket and a blonde ponytail entered the room.

"Ah, so the great Commander Vaclav is here," he said. "I knew something was brewing when I found out about the strange activity on the Legacy's bridge."

Both Melanie and Cashel assumed a battle stance. Vaclav merely pointed his finger at the man.

"What do you think you're doing? Identify yourself!"

The man shrugged. "My name is Solon. I'm just a wanderer looking to have some fun. I find great amusement in the battlefield awash in blood."

"Get out!" Vaclav ordered. "We have no use for the likes of you!"

"Let's not be too hasty," Solon said. "After all, I took good care of Crusand Castle after your downfall."

"So? I have no need for the castle now that I have the Legacy's bridge."

"I also understand that it was Senel Coolidge who brought about your downfall."

"That's none of your concern!"

"Oh, but it is. You see, I, too, have a score to settle with Senel and his friends. Since we share the same desire, I'd like to propose an alliance."

"I see..." Vaclav took it into consideration for a moment. "Cashel, Melanie. Let's see what this man can do."

"Yes, sir," Melanie and Cashel said in unison.

Solon bowed his head. "So you wish to test my abilities? Very well, I'm more than happy to oblige."

Melanie pulled her whip and lashed it out at Solon. He quickly drew his sword; the whip wrapped around the blade, and Solon gave a rough jerk, pulling Melanie towards him. As she fell forward, Solon threw a knee attack to her face, knocking her to the ground.

Cashel rushed in with his tonfa blades with a series of slash attacks. Solon parried the attacks with his sword. Cashel backed off, and the two fighters circled the room, facing each other. Cashel rushed in again with a slash towards the face, but Solon ducked, extending his leg for a footsweep. Before Cashel could even hit the ground, Solon continued his spin, kicking Cashel multiple times in a breakdancing maneuver. Finally, Cashel was knocked away; he hit the ground, sliding a few feet before coming to a stop. Solon finished his spin and flipped up to his feet.

"Amusing," Vaclav said. "I see you have some decent skill."

"That...that style..." Cashel groaned, still crumpled up in pain. "It's just like..."

Solon turned to him. "Like whom?"

"Like him...that little brat..."

"Little brat...could you be referring to Jay the Unseen by chance?"

"Yes...that's him!" Cashel stood up now. "When I first laid eyes on him, all I saw was a mere child. But then he made a complete fool out of me! And for that, I want vengeance!"

Solon grinned. "Ah, that's my darling apprentice for you."

Cashel gasped. "That kid is your apprentice?"

Vaclav stroked his chin. "The master of Jay the Unseen...I'm certainly intrigued now."

"Jay and I have much in common," Solon explained. "I taught him the skills he knows. And much like him, I can gather information quickly and accurately. I already know all about Senel's group. For example, Commander Vaclav, I learned that Senel used to be one of your soldiers."

Vaclav continued to ponder. "Perhaps this alliance could benefit us after all. We could use a warrior of your caliber, plus having you on our side would give us a strategic effect as well. Very well, Solon; I'll accept your proposal."

Solon bowed his head. "Commander, I thank you. You will not regret this."

"I will even give you a position as one of the three Terrors," Vaclav added. "You will replace Stingle as the Vicious."

Solon grinned. "I like the sound of that. I don't mind serving under a commander, as long as I get to enjoy the death and destruction that comes with the battle."

Melanie picked herself up. "Solon the Vicious...it does have a nice ring to it."

"The title definitely fits you better than it did Stingle," Cashel added. "Don't get me wrong; Stingle's swordsmanship was truly fearsome. But he was much too soft. He often saved people who would have otherwise died by our hand. But you're not like that. You're a beast, Solon; you live for the battle and nothing more. Your eyes are like those of a snake. I'm getting chills just by looking at you...and I love it."

"All right," Vaclav said. "Let's get to work. We need a plan to eliminate Senel and his friends once and for all."

Melanie, Cashel, and Solon saluted. "Yes, sir."

-------------

**Harriet received the title of Sucker**

**Solon received the title of Solon the Vicious**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Harriet sat at the table in Madame Musette's house with a large art pad in front of her. She drew feverishly on the pad with her pencil while Will sat beside her.

"Come on, you can finish this time, Harriet," he said.

Harriet ripped the sheet from the pad, crumpled it up, and tossed it aside.

"Oh...there's nothing wrong with that one..." Will said.

Harriet restarted her drawing, but after a few strokes, she ripped that paper and tossed it aside as well.

"Oh...I thought you were on a roll that time," Will said.

Harriet let out an exasperated sigh as she dropped her forehead on the table.

"That one had real potential," Will added.

Harriet raised her head. "I can't do this! I stink! I hate art!" She picked up her pencil and snapped it in half.

Will stood up and began to pace around her. "You're striking yourself out, that's all. Just a little follow-through, kiddo! Hang tough! Come on, don't give up now! You got it! Yes!"

Madame Musette entered the room and set a cup of tea on the table. "Your father is right, Harriet. Just finish what you start. Anything you do will be wonderful."

"Leave me alone..." Harriet mumbled.

"Just stick with it; you really have something," Will said.

Harriet slammed her hands down on the table. "Now you made me mess up! I'm never gonna win!" She crumpled up yet another sheet and threw it aside.

-------------

"Hey, G-Girl!" Norma called. "Check out this song I'm writing! This song is sooo cooool! Hattie doesn't have a chance of winning."

"What kind of song is it?" Grune asked.

"It's a song about us. Anyone who messes with us is gonna hear this song."

"Really? Will they like it?"

"Hmm, I don't know. I'm having a little trouble, though. I have the first verse done, but I don't know where to go from there. Maybe you can help me, G-Girl."

Grune smiled. "Okay, what should I do?"

"Here's what I have so far." Norma began to sing her song.

_I...will hunt you down in time  
__Will have you in my sight  
__Can see throughout this night  
__Will find your weakness now..._

_You belong to me solely now  
__I will shatter your chances now  
__Say the power is on you now..._

_You have a reason, you have a rhyme  
__You have been thinking to cross my line  
__You are my soul mate, you are the crime  
__You've gone too far, you've crossed my line..._

"Oh my...that's really fun," Grune said. "You should continue."

"I know, but...I don't know what to sing next. Can you help me, G-Girl? What should I write next?"

Grune paused in thought. "I wonder..."

Norma shook her head. "Never mind. I'll just wait and see if I get any inspirations."

----------

Shirley was in the upstairs bedroom of Musette's house working on her painting. She had painted a bowl of gold apples on a counter. Musette came in to check on her.

"Oh Shirley, it's beautiful!" Musette said, eyeing the painting. "You did this?"

"Yes," Shirley said. "I call it, 'Seeing the Beauty in the Everyday.'"

"You are quite the budding young artist," Musette continued. "You know, Harriet could use some of your inspiration. She's downstairs in the kitchen, sitting next to the crumpled up paper. Nothing that Will and I say seems to help. Could you go downstairs and give her a hand?"

"I'll see what I can do." Shirley went downstairs and approached Harriet, who was now smearing paint all over the paper in front of her.

"I can't do this," Harriet said.

"Hattie, you're doing fine," Shirley told her. "Relax."

"I can't do this!" Harriet repeated.

"Just try to have fun with it."

"Fun? This isn't fun! This is the exact opposite of fun!"

"Harriet, calm down. You're going out of control."

"What do you know? You're really good at this. I wish I were as good as you. I'm going to let Dad down..."

"You're a good artist when you're not trying so hard," Shirley said.

"So what? This is a contest," Harriet told her. "I want to win so badly, I keep messing up."

"Just do your best. Talent isn't a competition."

"It's not?"

"No, it's not."

"Oh sure! That's why every year we _compete_ in the annual talent show! That's why Norma and I want to _win!_ That's why they give out _prizes!_ Because talent's not a competition!"

Shirley paused as she went into deep thought for a moment. Harriet did have a good point.

"They...they just want to make it a competition!" Shirley exclaimed.

"Who's 'they'?" Harriet asked.

"They want to ruin everything! We have to show them how wrong they are!"

"Who's 'we'?"

"You're right, Hattie. Every journey begins with a single step. Yeah..." Shirley turned and walked back upstairs.

Harriet's lip slid upwards in a fierce snarl. "Well, maybe I can't draw! But at least some people can understand what I'm talking about..."

Shirley returned to her room and pulled the protective sheet over her apple painting. She then took the canvas and shoved it under her bed. Finally, she pulled out an empty canvas and began to work on an entirely new painting.

----------

In the back of the Oresoren village, Poppo was working in his mechanical workshop. Jay walked in to check up on him.

"Greetings, Poppo," Jay said. "How is your project coming?"

"Oh, Jay!" Poppo responded, somewhat surprised. "It's coming along nicely. I should have it finished in a week or so. I'm really excited; I can't wait for you and the others to try it out. I'm sure it'll be helpful in the fields, or even in the ruins."

"Sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to it."

Just then, a random Oresoren walked in and whispered something to Jay. Jay staggered backwards in response to the message.

"What? There's some unusual activity happening in the Legacy's bridge?"

The Oresoren extended his hand, a positive gesture. Jay paused to think about it for a moment.

"No...we won't worry about it now. The Radiant have altered the bridge's controls, so only they can control the Legacy with it. I'd like you to keep a close eye on the situation and keep me updated. Then we'll decide if we need to take any action."

The Oresoren nodded, then left the room.

"Jay, is it really okay to leave the bridge alone?" Poppo asked.

"We still don't know who's causing the activity," Jay told him. "At this point, it could be the Radiant themselves for all we know. We need more information to determine if it really is a problem."

"I understand..."

"I'm also hoping that we can wait for your project to be finished before we take any action."

"Right. I'll keep working on it."

"In the meantime, I'll head for Werites Beacon," Jay continued. "I'm curious as to how the talent show is going."

"Talent show?"

"It's a show where people display various talents. The competition is sure to be fierce, particularly between Norma and Harriet. I'll have to be sure they keep themselves under control."

"Why?"

"When people are so obsessed with winning, they lose control of their character. People act differently. They get angry and frustrated, and that can't be good."

"How scary..." Poppo said.

"Right. So I'll head over there and make sure they don't kill each other over this competition."

"Take care, Jay."

-----------------

Senel's entire group gathered at Madame Musette's house to check on each other's progress for the talent show. Harriet was still scribbling her drawing on the sheet in front of her. Will stood over her, encouraging her.

"Come on, Harriet," he said. "Just add a little more blue to that sky."

"Oh, I'll never be able to finish!" she whined. "And even if I do, it'll totally stink!"

"Oh, that's too bad, Hattie," Norma said. "I guess I'm going to win the talent show, huh?"

"That...that's not true!" Harriet cried. "I'll get it finished! It's not like your stupid song will be any better!"

"Hmm...maybe I could just help out a little..." Will picked up a pencil.

Harriet gasped, "No, Dad, drop the pencil!"

Will dropped the pencil and stepped back. Harriet slammed her hands on the table.

"I don't need your help! This is entirely between me and Norma!"

Will held up his hands. "Sorry, I didn't know."

Moses pointed a finger at Will. "Ha ha! Guilty!" he sang.

Musette set a cup of tea down on the table in front of Harriet. "Your father won't do it again." She then turned to Will. "Will you, Will?"

Will shrugged. "No, I'll be good."

Just then, Shirley came downstairs with the canvas in her arms, with the painting facing her.

"Oh, I see that Shirley is ready for the talent show," Musette said.

"I've given this whole thing a lot of thought," Shirley announced.

"Uh-oh," Senel muttered.

"And I've decided that it's time to make a stand," Shirley added.

"Uhhh-oh..." Senel muttered again.

Senel knew Shirley better than anyone else in the group. Shirley may appear shy and frail most of the time, but there was a side of her that clearly said, "Don't mess with me." And Senel knew that that part of her was about to be unleashed.

"I think stands are good," Grune said.

"I have a new entry for the talent show. I just finished it." Shirley turned the canvas around for all to see. And what the other saw was not a real painting, but a text message in rainbow colors. The message read, "TALENT SHOULD NOT BE A COMPETITION."

"Huh?" Musette and Chloe raised an eye.

Jay and Moses glanced at each other. "Huh?"

"Huh?" Norma and Harriet asked in unison.

Everyone looked at Shirley again, as her face seemed to glow.

"Oh, it's modern art!" Grune gushed.

"Talent should not be a competition?" Will asked. "Where's your good painting?"

Shirley glared at him. Musette walked past Shirley and went upstairs.

"This is a joke, right?" Will asked. "Shirley, where's your other painting? You know, the one with the apples?"

"Gone," Shirley said with a smile.

"Can I use it?" Harriet asked.

"No!" Will snapped.

Harriet's face soured.

"Your apple painting was your best shot!" Will said. "Why wouldn't you want to win?"

Shirley's jaw dropped. "It's my statement, and it says exactly what I mean it to say!"

The others exchanged nervous glances, but said nothing.

"Forget it, Shirley," Will said. "Your apple painting is going into the contest, and it's going to say, 'I know how to paint circles around everyone else.'"

"Hmph!" Shirley spun around and marched upstairs to her room. "Well, I don't care what you say!"

"You're not submitting that crummy thing!" Will shouted.

Shirley slammed the door to her room with an audible thud. Will let out an exasperated sigh.

"I wonder what's gotten into Raynard?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, he's ordering Shirl around like an old man," Norma said.

"They're even worse than us," Jay said.

"Yeah, they'd better stop or they won't get new shoes," Moses added.

Jay gave him a look. "What do shoes have to do with anything?"

"I've never seen Shirley act like this either," Senel said. "I know she has a tough side, but I've never seen it this bad."

"The competition must have gone to their heads," Jay explained. "There's a lot of anger and frustration that comes with the pressure to win."

"Now that you mention it, you're right," Norma agreed.

"Ahem." Will turned to face the group. "Did you all say something?"

"Uh...no, nothing," the others lied.

"Hmm. Very well. I'm going out for some air. Harriet, be sure to keep working on your project."

"Okay..." Harriet said, a little down.

Will turned and left the house. The party fell silent for a moment.

"Ooh, I just thought of a great idea!" Norma said. "This'll be perfect for my song."

"How is that song coming, Norma?" Senel asked.

"Check this out. This is what I have now."

_I...am one who never quits  
__Am one who tries to rise  
__Am pure of thought and mind  
__Am sure of one thing now..._

_That I stare in your bad face now  
__That I see you're a weakling now  
__Say the power is on you now..._

_You have a reason, you have a rhyme  
__But you had chosen to cross my line  
__You are my soul mate, you are the crime  
__You've gone too far, you've crossed my line..._

"Oh my, that's so much fun," Grune said.

"It does suit the current situation rather well," Jay agreed.

"By the way, JJ, how can you stay so calm in all this competition?" Norma asked.

"For one thing, I'm not entering the talent show."

"Ooh, ooh! You should enter with your breakdancing thing!"

"Ooh-ooh, because I don't want Curtis to recruit me on the, ooh-ooh, Bantam Bouncers," Jay responded.

"I wonder if Shirley has a point?" Chloe asked. "This talent show has already gotten out of hand."

_Combine that with the unusual activity on the bridge,_ Jay thought to himself.

"Let's just go our separate ways for today," Senel said. "I think we all need some time to cool down."

The others nodded, then began to walk towards the front door.

"Oh, good luck with that drawing, Hattie!" Norma called.

"Ooh!" Harriet jumped out of her chair and began to chase after the group.

"Uh-oh!" The group jumped with a start as they ran out the door, slamming it behind them.

Harriet stopped at the door, then folded her arms. "Hmph!"

-----------

**Shirley received the title of Hurricane Shirley  
****Will received the title of Competitive Dad**


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: My work was halted for a while, thanks to a PC failure. But now my computer is repaired, and I am back. Whee!

--------------------

Chapter 3

A week later, Poppo rushed into Jay's room, looking both excited and scared. "Jay, wake up!"

Jay sprang up in his bed. "Poppo? What's the commotion about?"

"I have some good news, and then I have some bad news. Which do you want first?"

Jay thought about it for a moment. Well, if I hear the good news first, the bad news may not sound so bad. On the other hand, if I hear the bad news first, the good news would make up for it...

Without waiting for an answer, Poppo continued. "We got some more information about the activity on the bridge. Commander Vaclav has taken over the bridge again."

Jay jumped to his feet. "Vaclav? Are you certain?"

"And it gets worse," Poppo said. "Solon has joined forces with him."

"What? What about your project?"

Poppo smiled. "That's the good news. I've finished my project."

"Oh, great. Well, I'll get the others."  
--------------  
Shirley sat in her room, while Moses and Giet stood nearby.

"You feelin' okay, hon?" Moses asked.

Shirley sighed as she patted Giet's head. "I can't stop thinking."

"I know exactly what you mean," Moses said.

"On one hand, I'm flattered that Will thinks my apple painting could actually win. On the other hand, I completely disagree with the concept of winning, especially when I think of poor Hattie and how stressed out she is. My protest painting might be seen by a lot of people, but if I go against Will, he'll probably ground me for life. But...it's my decision to make, not his. Plus, a part of me really wants to win."

"Yeah, competition is tough, ain't it? But I just can't get enough."

Shirley looked over at Giet. "Well, Giet, what do you think?"

Giet responded by panting for a few seconds, then whimpered.

"Hah. Giet says he wants a doggie treat followed by a nice nap," Moses told her.

Then there was a knock on the door, and they heard Senel's voice. "Shirley?"

Moses walked over and opened the door. "What's up, Senel?"

Senel raised an eye. "Moses? What are you doing in there?"

Moses grinned. "Oh, nothin'. Just chattin'."

"Anyway, everyone is meeting downstairs. Jay has something important to talk to us about."

"All right. Let's go."

Shirley stood up from the bed, and the three walked down the stairs, where the other party members were waiting.

"All right, Jay; we're all here," Senel said.

Jay nodded. "Very well. Last week, the Oresoren informed me that there was some unusual activity on the bridge. I didn't say anything because there wasn't enough detail to determine whether any action should be taken. However, I just got an update this morning."

There was a moment of silence as the group anxiously awaited the news.

"It turns out that the one who infiltrated the bridge is none other than Vaclav Bolud and two of the Terrors, Melanie and Cashel. Worse still, it appears that Solon has teamed up with them, replacing Stingle as the Vicious of the Terrors."

"What? Vaclav?" Senel shouted. "That's impossible!"

"Yes, I was shocked to hear it myself," Jay said.

"Ooh, that just bursts my bubble!" Norma said. "First So-So keeps stalking us, and now Vaclav is back?"

"There's only one thing to do!" Moses called. "We gotta get to the bridge and take that guy out!"

"Not so fast, stupid bandit," Jay said.

"Hey!"

"Poppo has been working on something that could potentially help us in the upcoming battles. We need to head to the Oresoren village and test them out."The others glanced at each other and nodded.  
---------  
Jay led the group to the Oresoren village, and they headed to Poppo's workshop.

"Whoa..." they muttered.

Poppo had eight vehicles lined up against the wall. They looked like simple motor scooters that hovered a few inches from the ground, with a pair of handlebars, a footboard between the wheels, and rocket jets in the back.

"Welcome, everyone," Poppo said. "I'm glad you could all come to try out my new Poppo Scooters."

"Poppo Scooters, huh?" Senel asked. "They certainly look...simple."

"These scooters will allow us to travel faster on the fields and in ruins," Jay said. "Because of the freedom of movement that they have, they can be even more useful that ducts in certain situations."

Moses squatted up and down. "All right! Time to take these babies for a test ride!"

He rushed over and stepped onto the footboard. "Uh...how do you make it go?"

"Twist the handlebars towards you," Poppo said.

"All right!" Moses twisted the handlebars as instructed. The rockets fired up as the scooter suddenly took off. The party quickly dove to the side as the scooter flew by, promptly crashing into the wall. Moses tipped backwards, hitting the floor on his back.

"As you can see, the Poppo Scooters are extremely durable," Poppo said.

"For that matter, how do you make it stop?" Norma asked.

"Just squeeze the lever right above the handlebars," Poppo said.

"Oh, now he tells us..." Moses grumbled.

"Ooh, let me try!" Norma took another scooter and stepped on the footboard. She then revved it up and took off. Once again, the party dove out of the way as the scooter flew past them. Norma squeezed the brakes as she twisted the scooter to its side. Like Moses, she too crashed into the wall and fell to the floor.

"Hmm..." The rest of the group pondered for a moment.

"Well, I'm glad it ain't just me," Moses remarked.

"We may need to practice riding these things before we try to go after Vaclav with them," Senel said.

"Indeed," Will agreed.

"Do these scooters have weapons, or are they just for transporation purposes?" Chloe asked.

"Oh, they're just for transportation," Poppo said. "I built them tough because I remember what happened with the Poppo Mk. II and III."

"I...see."

"All right," Will said. "Let's take these scooters out into the field."

The group nodded. They moved the scooters outside to the lake. They looked across the water at the crags on the other side.

"Poppo, can these scooters run on the water, too?" Senel asked.

"The Poppo Scooters can run on any terrain, from the tallest mountain to the deepest valley," Poppo said.

"I'd like to avoid the water whenever possible," Chloe said.

"Passing through the crags should give us some good maneuver practice," Will said. "Is everyone ready to head out?"

The group nodded as they stepped onto their scooters.

"Good luck to you all!" Poppo called.

"All right, here we go," Senel said.

Everyone revved up their scooters and darted forward, crossing over what used to be a lake. It was quite a thrill to feel the wind in their faces as they rode across the surface.

"Yahoo!" Moses yelled. "Check me out!"

"This actually feels kind of nice," Shirley said.

As they got closer to the crags, Senel looked ahead, noticing that the hill was getting steeper. "Uh-oh!"

The others gasped as they realized the same thing. They squeezed the brakes, but it was too late as the scooters hit the ground, hurling everyone forward. They all crashed on the ground, skidding a few feet. They all picked themselves up, groaning in pain.

"Controlling these scooters is more difficult that I anticipated," Jay said.

"Yeah, I wonder if they were actually built for the Oresoren?" Norma asked.

"They look too big for the Oresoren to ride," Chloe said.

"No, Poppo built them specifically for us," Jay told them. "We just need to get used to riding them."

Everyone picked up their scooters and got on again. They took off again, riding down the rocky surfaces of the crags.

"Jay, watch out for that wall right there!" Moses called as they made a left turn.

"I know, I know!" Jay responded. "I'm not blind, you idiot!"

"Guys, pull over!" Senel called.

Everyone squeezed on their brakes, but they didn't seem to slow down at all. Right then, they knew that crashing into the wall was inevitable. Jay jumped off the scooter, crashing to the ground as his scooter crashed into the wall. The others all crashed into the wall on their scooters, then collapsed to the ground.

"Well, we got the riding down," Senel said. "It's the stopping that needs work.

"We're going to hurt ourselves if we keep this up," Chloe said. "I'm bruised everywhere."

"These scooters are more durable than we are," Moses said. "I'm bruised everywhere...twice!"

Everyone picked up their scooters and limped over to the end of the crags, which overlooked a large valley where the lake used to be. Now that the bridge has surface, the lake had disappeared.

"All right," Will said. "Let's cross over to Port-on-Rage, and then we'll call it a day."

The group nodded and got onto the scooters once again.

"Will, we need to stop Vaclav before he even starts," Jay said. "Especially if Solon is with them, we can't afford to let them make the first move."

"Jay, I understand your point, but we really shouldn't try to fight after all this crashing."

"I'm with Will on this one," Moses said. "I ain't feelin' so good."

"This crashing has depleted our strength," Chloe said.

Jay sighed. "All right. We'll take care of it later."


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: This chapter turned out to be longer than usual. But then again, it involves a fight. Normally I don't do fights very well...but enjoy Ch. 4 anyway.  
--------------------  
Chapter 4

The group ended up waiting through the remainder of the three week period until the day of the talent show. They sat at Madame Musette's house for breakfast that morning.

"Thank you all so much for coming," Musette said. "I must admit that breakfast is much livelier with such company."

"Don't mention it," Senel said. "We all feel the same way."

"Hey Dad, guess what!" Harriet said. "I got a special assignment from school yesterday!"

"Really? What's this assignment?" Will asked.

"I'm supposed to write a report on my parents' jobs. I only have one parent, and my dad has the coolest job in Werites Beacon...no, the whole Legacy! I never knew that being a sheriff on the Legacy would be so cool!"

Will hung his head. "I'm not a sheriff...I'm a natural historian! Besides, my job is also the most dangerous job in Werites Beacon. Well, I'll do whatever I can to help."

"You know, Hattie, you should worry about your talent show picture," Norma said.

"My talent show picture is finished, thank you very much!" Harriet told her. "What about your stupid song?"

"No, my song is not stupid! And no, my song is not finished!"

Then a revelation suddenly hit Norma. "Oops."

"Please!" Jay interrupted. "Some of us would prefer to have breakfast in peace."

"Yeah, and Jay ain't one of them," Moses threw in.

Jay sighed. "Can't you keep your stupidity to yourself for once?"

"Pipe down, you two," Will said.

Meanwhile, Senel noticed that Chloe was eating very slowly, mostly picking at her food.

"What is it, Chloe?" he asked.

"I can't believe we're just waiting around for Vaclav to make his move," Chloe said.

At that moment, the three Scallop Brothers rushed in. "Jay! Jay! Jay!"

Jay seemed surprised at the outburst. "Wh...what is it?"

"It's Vaclav! He's making his move!" Pippo said.

"Use the Poppo Scooters to get to the bridge and stop him!" Poppo said.

Everyone sighed.

"All right, we'll head out now," Will said. "Madame, if you'll excuse us..."

"Of course, Will," Musette said.

"Ooh, I'll go, too!" Harriet said.

"No, it's too dangerous," Will told her. "This is Vaclav we're dealing with."

"I know! That just makes it more exciting! My report is gonna look so awesome when I write about Vaclav and the Terrors!"

"Meeting Vaclav and the Terrors isn't something to get excited about," Senel said.

"Yeah, Vaclav plays dirty," Moses added. "There ain't no tellin' what he'll do to you."

"Please, let me go with you!" Harriet continued to plead. "I'll be really careful, I promise!"

"Oh, just let her come with us, Teach," Norma said. "Let her learn the hard way."

"Hey, I won't get hurt!" Harriet cried. "I'm coming with you, no matter what!"

"Excuse me," Jay said. "The longer we argue about this, the more time Vaclav will have to carry out his plans."

Will sighed. "All right, Harriet. If you come with us, you have to promise to stay clear of the battle. Understood?"

Harriet frowned. "Yeah, okay."

"Here we go!" Moses called.

The group stepped outside Werites Beacon with their scooters.

"Are you ready, Harriet?" Will asked.

"Yeah, I got my pen and my notebook handy," Harriet said.

"Remember what I told you..."

"I know! You don't have to warn me about every little thing!"

Harriet clung tightly onto Will as they stepped onto the Poppo Scooters.

"Hang on, Harriet," Will said. "We have a terrible habit of crashing on these scooters."

Harriet gasped. "You what??"

Everyone revved up the scooters and took off. When they caught sight of the bridge entrance, they squeezed the brakes well ahead of time. They slowly came to a stop right at the bridge entrance.

"Wow, we actually stopped that time," Norma said.

"It looks like we have to hit the brakes early," Will said. "Let's try not to go too fast."

The group nodded in agreement, then carefully rode into the bridge.

-----------

Meanwhile, on the top floor, Vaclav was receiving the report.

"Senel and his friends are here?"

"Yes, sir," Melanie said. "They're riding some odd scooters."

Solon shrugged. "I knew it wouldn't be long before they discovered our plans. I would expect no less from my own apprentice."

Cashel gave him a look. "It almost sounds as though you feel some love for that little punk."

"Of course I do. I just love to make him miserable. You should see how the poor boy trembles at the mere sight of me. The last time we met, I experimented with a whole new form of molestation. I hope to go much farther with it next time. I was so enjoying it."

"Amusing. I'd like to hear more about it later."

Solon turned to Vaclav. "Commander, would it be to much to ask for Jay to be spared?"

Vaclav pondered for a moment. "You realize how dangerous he is, don't you?"

"Of course. He is my pupil after all. He can't be any more dangerous than myself. I'll be sure to keep him on a tight leash."

"Very well. You may do with him as you please."

Solon turned his back to the others. "Heh heh...Jay...wait'll you see what I have in store for you next. Your life will be spared, but you'll wish you were dead."

----------------------

The group rode along the corridors of the bridge on the Poppo Scooters. Navigating through the straight corridor was a breeze...but up ahead was a sharp right turn.

"Hang on, Harriet!" Will called.

Harriet clung tightly to her father. The party members swerved to the right, hoping to make the turn smoothly, but they crashed into the side wall. They slowed down, then came to a stop in front of the duct. After stopping, thr group walked the scooters into the duct to the next area. There, they found themselves in an empty room, where they had defeated Melanie the first time.

"Harriet, how are you feeling?" Will asked.

"That crash really hurt," Harriet said. "Don't you know how to ride these things?"

Senel frowned. "Not really, no."

"Let's rest here for a bit," Will suggested.

The group sat down in the middle of the floor. Harriet looked around.

"So this is the Legacy's bridge," she said. "Lemme write that down..."

"So Hattie, what kind of painting did you make for the talent show?" Norma asked.

"Hmph! I'm not telling!" Harriet said. "But it has a row of houses, pretty green grass, a clear blue sky, and a fine dirt road."

"So you just told us anyway..."

"Hey Dad, is it really okay to just sit here in Vaclav's territory?"

"We do this all the time," Senel assured her.

"Yeah, nothing ever happens when we take a break in these places," Norma added.

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Vaclav's soldiers along with the three Terrors stepped into the room from all directions. The Terrors held their respective weapons, while the soldiers aimed their crossbows at the heroes.

"Hold it right there," Melanie said dryly.

"Oops, break time's over!" Moses called. "Time to go! Yeehaw!"

As he said this, the party scrambled to their feet, hopped on the scooters and took off through the doorway ahead.

"Damn you!" Cashel yelled.

"Let's not get worked up just yet," Solon said. "I doubt they'll be able to elude the Commander's trap."

The party members rode the scooters up the slopes leading to the top floor of the bridge. Then they rode down the final corridor towards the control room. However, as they neared the room, a column of glowing green bars shot across the center of the room. The party instantly panicked as they squeezed on the brakes as hard as they could. In her panic, Harriet lost her grip and fell off the scooter, rolling several feet along the floor.

However, it was too late for the rest of the party. They crashed into the bars, seemingly sticking to them, while the scooters passed through harmlessly, crashing into the wall. Everyone struggled, but they could not pull themselves off the bars. Soon, a green light flashed throughout the room, and the bars were transformed into a green net, collecting the party members and pulling them into the air.

"What the hell!?" Moses groaned.

"Don't tell me it's a trap!" Jay exclaimed.

"Did Poppy even put brakes in those things?" Norma asked.

"I was beginning to wonder that myself..." Senel lamented.

"Jay, get your arm out of my face!" Moses cried.

"I can't help that you're so big and stupid," Jay responded.

Norma gave Moses a shove. "Red, move over!"

Moses shoved her back. "You move over!"

"Go find your own net!"

"Shut up!" Senel cried.

"Would you all stop it already?" Will scolded.

"Oh my..." Grune gushed. "Let's have a group hug."

"Huh?" the others asked in unison.

"Listen to them squabble..." a familiar voice said from below. "It's hard to believe these were the people who bested us before."

The party stopped squabbling and looked down. Commander Vaclav stood in the center of the room with the three Terrors.

"Welcome, everyone," Vaclav added.

"You don't look so tough now!" Cashel taunted.

"In fact, you seem kind of helpless," Melanie said.

"Yeah, we _seem_ helpless..." Jay whispered to himself.

"What do you want, Vaclav?" Senel growled.

"Why, vengeance, of course," Vaclav responded. "I was so close to holding the whole world in the palm of my hand...and then you ruined everything!"

The party fell silent for a moment.

"What about you, Solon?" Jay asked out of nowhere. "I never expected that you would follow the orders of a commander."

"Hmm, neither did I," Solon told him. "However, you could say that I also seek vengeance. Plus, Vaclav has given me the chance of a lifetime. The chance to create a world of war."

Jay sighed. "I'm sorry I asked..."

"Jay, why don't you do away with that sarcastic attitude and join me?"

"Must we do this again? I already told you, no."

"I highly recommend that you join us, Jay!"

"I don't care what you recommend! The answer is no!"

"Enough talk!" Vaclav interrupted. "It's time to decide how we're going to finish them."

Solon drew his sword. "Leave that to me. It's time for you to die. Jay, you alone will be spared. You should thank me. Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Grr..." Jay glared at Solon with the angry glint in his eyes.

Just then, Harriet came into the room casually, stopping right in front of the villains. She paid no attention to the net above her that contained her father and the rest of the group.

"What's going on?" Cashel asked. "Who is this kid?"

"Me?" Harriet responded. "I'm Harriet. Harriet Campbell. I'm here on a school assignment."

"Harriet, get out of there!" Will demanded.

Harriet looked up at him. "Pipe down, Dad! I'm trying to do my homework here!"

"This is no school, kid," Vaclav said. "Now get lost."

"I'm not leaving until I take good notes!" Harriet snapped. "Now, you're Commander Vaclav, right? What has my dad done to you?"

"Your father...along with Senel and the rest of these brats...thwarted my plan to conquer Gadoria with the Nerifes Cannon!"

"I see..." Harriet said, writing in her notepad. She then turned to the three officers, focusing on Melanie. "And you must be the three Terrors. You must be Melanie the Crimson, because there was only one female Terror, right?"

"That's right," Melanie said.

"Harriet!" Will called.

Jay nudged him. "Will, please calm down. While Harriet has them distracted, we can think of a way out of this situation."

"Hey, that's a good idea," Senel said. "So what are we gonna do?"

Harriet turned her attention to Cashel. "Let's see...you wear a mask, so you must be Stingle the Vicious!"

Cashel folded his arms. "No, I'm Cashel."

Harriet raised an eye. "Cashel? Cashel the Phantom? No way!"

Cashel vanished in a puff of smoke, then reappeared with his multiple shadows surrounding Harriet. "Yes way."

"Whoa! Okay, I'll write that down..." Harriet wrote in her notepad again. "Cashel...not Stingle..."

She then turned to Solon. "So you must be Stingle."

"No, I am Solon. Stingle is no longer one of the Terrors."

"Huh??" Harriet wrote down more notes. "So Stingle retired...and they said he was the newcomer."

"Stingle was a goody-two-shoes," Cashel said.

"Okay." Harriet made that note as well. "So Solon, what do you do?"

"I live for war, I have fun just killing and seeing people suffer," Solon replied.

"Okay, cool."

"I also enjoy molesting children on the side."

"Okay, that's not so cool...but I'll write it down anyway."

"Um, Will?" Shirley started. "What did Harriet say her assignment was about?"

"It was supposed to be a report on her parents' occupation," Will said.

"It looks like she's more interested in Vaclav than in your job, Teach," Norma said.

"That's quite enough, kid," Vaclav said. "As a reward for your bravery, you can watch your father die with your own eyes!"

Harriet looked up at the net again. "What? You're going to kill him?"

"I've been looking forward to this..." Melanie said.

"But...my song!" Norma cried. "I haven't even finished the song yet! I was almost finished, too! Please, let us finish our song before we die!"

"'Us'?" Will asked.

"'Our song'?" Senel added.

The party members glanced at each other, and realized that they were all thinking the same thing.

"What should we do?" Melanie asked.

"They're trying to trick us!" Cashel cried.

Vaclav pondered for a moment. "Well, I suppose they are entitled to a final request. Very well, but make it quick!"

"Okay, on three," Norma said. "One...two...three!"

The group began to sing in unison.

_You had a reason, you had a rhyme  
__But you were way wrong to cross my line  
__You were the soul mate, you were the crime  
__You've gone too far, you've crossed my line!_

Jay pulled his dagger and swung it outward, slicing the net open. The party dropped to the ground, but quickly picked themselves up. Jay twirled his dagger tauntingly.

"Did you really think you could constrict us with a simple net?" he asked.

"All right!" Harriet cheered. "Come on, Dad, show these guys what you're made of!"

"You insolent child, you distracted us!" Vaclav growled. "Kill her at once!"

"With pleasure!" Cashel grinned behind his ninja mask as he raised his tonfa blades. Harriet gasped and shrank back.

Will extended his glowing fist, and a lightning bolt struck Cashel.

"Harriet, clear out!" Will called.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Harriet ran out of the control room, then peeked through the doorway.

"Vaclav!" Senel yelled. "You're going down!"

"Get them!" Vaclav ordered.

The Terrors and iron erens rushed towards each other, while the crystal erens backed off. Harriet watched the ensuing battle while jotting notes in her notepad.

Melanie came towards Will as he was casting his spell. Will aborted his spell and moved to the side. Melanie came to a halt.

"Hold still!" she ordered.

Will gripped his hammer and swung it low, striking Melanie's legs and knocking her to the ground.

"All right, Dad!" Harriet cheered.

Jay backed off, holding his knife towards Cashel, who slowly advanced on him.

"You..." Cashel growled. "I would have stopped Senel if it wasn't for you. Prepare for your punishment!"

Jay twirled his knife one more time. "Impress me."

Moses ran to Jay's side. "Jay!"

When Jay ignored him, Moses grabbed him by both wrists and began swinging him in circles. Cashel charged at them, but Moses swung Jay around, striking Cashel in the face and knocking him to the floor.

Harriet took down more notes. _Stupid bandit._

"Let me know when you've had enough!" Moses said as he continued to swing Jay in circles. "You can get dizzy, goin' 'round and 'round like this."

"M...Moses!" Jay cried.

"Enough of this foolishness!" Vaclav yelled. "Hell strike!"

He released a red dome of energy from his body. Only Moses, Jay, and Shirley were within its range. Moses hit the floor while Jay flew across the room, crashing into the wall before hitting the floor.

Moses stood up, thoroughly stunned from the attack. "Ugh...now I feel dizzy..."

Jay was also stunned. Solon took advantage of this and seized him from behind.

"Gotcha!"

Jay squirmed for a bit, then repeatedly rammed his elbow into Solon's ribs. Solon tried to endure as he held on tightly, but eventually the pain became unbearable, and he lost his grip. Jay stumbled forward, then spun around to face his former master, dagger in hand. Solon unsheathed his sword and charged at Jay, but the apprentice flipped over him, kicking him in the back just before landing. Solon hit the ground, then rolled onto his back.

Jay sprang up into the air, gripped his dagger with both hands, then landed with his feet on either side of Solon's body, and thrust his dagger downward. However, Solon reached up and grabbed Jay's wrists before the dagger could penetrate him. Jay continued to strain, aiming his dagger at Solon's throat. However, Solon held on tightly, preventing the dagger from stabbing him.

Finally, Solon threw both of Jay's arms to his right, then kicked him away. Jay hit the ground, immediately rolling backwards to his feet, breathing heavily.

"Damn you!" he growled.

Solon stood up as well. "Let's be certain about one thing. I will not die by your hand. Do I make myself clear?"

"Damn you!" Jay screamed again.

Meanwhile, Vaclav targeted Shirley while she was stunned. He lunged at her, and Shirley wrestled with him, trying to get him off. Finally, Shirley pulled her arm back, twirled her fist, then threw a fierce punch to Vaclav's face, sending him flying across the room.

"Whoa, nice punch, Shirl," Norma said.

Shirley smiled. "Thanks. I learned that from Senel."

Will looked around. _We can't keep fighting with Harriet here,_ he thought.

"Everyone, retreat!" he called.

The party ran to the scooters, then rode away. Harriet grabbed onto Will as he passed. Melanie lashed out with her whip, wrapping it around Moses' scooter. Instantly, she was yanked by the whip and was being dragged along the floor as the scooters rode down the corridor.

Moses turned back to see Melanie. "Hang in there, baby! This is gonna be a wild ride!"

Jay pulled alongside Moses. He threw his dagger, and it plunged into Moses' scooter, severing Melanie's whip. Melanie only slid a few more feet before coming to a stop.

The party members rode the scooters to the bottom floor, then successfully exited the Legacy's Bridge.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After escaping from the Legacy's bridge, Senel's group took the duct to the Oresoren village. They walked the scooters through the village and entered Poppo's workshop.

"Everyone, I'm afraid I have some bad news," Poppo said. "I've discovered a fatal flaw in the brake design in the Poppo Scooters."

Everyone dropped their heads.

"So we noticed..." Senel lamented.

"Oh, you poor thing, Poppo," Grune said. "Better luck next time, okay?"

_Why is Poppy the "poor thing?"_ Norma wondered. _We're the ones who kept crashing on the scooters... _

Jay sighed to himself. "I was so close to killing Solon..."

Grune turned to him and embraced him. "Cheer up, Jay. You'll get him next time."

Jay gasped as he felt all eyes on him. Grune stepped back and smiled her usual sweet smile.

"Ha ha, Jay's blushin'!" Moses taunted.

"N-No way!" Jay cried. "I am not!"

Moses ignored his protests. "Actually, I think he's turnin' a little red!"

"I...I..." Jay stepped back, covering his blushing face.

"Well, I say it's time to get back to the talent show!" Norma said. "Now that my song is finished, the grand prize is as good as mine!"

"Nah-uh, it's mine!" Harriet argued.

"Instead of arguing about it, we should head back to town," Will said.

The group nodded in agreement.

----------------

Later that evening, the talent show began in Werites Beacon. Norma had just finished singing her song to the audience. At the end, everyone applauded, and Norma took a bow.

"Oh, well done, Norma!" Curtis called. "Sing that song to reform the wayward souls!"

"Yeah, you should've seen how we sang that song to Vaclav and showed him who's boss!" Norma responded.

"You tell 'em, Bubbles!" Moses called.

"Next up is Harriet Campbell!" Curtis announced.

There was another round of applause as Harriet came up onstage with her canvas.

"So, what's your talent, miss?" Curtis asked.

"I made a painting," Harriet said. "Take a look!"

She held up the canvas for all to see. The painting had a row of houses sitting in front of a fine dirt road. The lawns were a brilliant green, and the sky had been colored with a clear blue.

"Ooh, very nice!" Curtis called. "Don't you think so, Isabella?"

"Yes, Curtis," Isabella responded.

The audience applauded once more.

"Thank you very much, Miss Campbell!" Curtis called. "Next up is...hmm, who's next, Isabella?"

"Next up is Moses Sandor!" Isabella called.

Moses stepped onstage with Giet tailing behind him.

"Giet and I are gonna strut our stuff!" Moses called. "You ready, Giet?"

"Woof!" Giet responded.

Moses pulled out a large hula hoop and held it out to the side. Giet ran and jumped through it.

"All right!" Moses called. "One more time!"

He held the hoop out again, and Giet jumped through it again. The citizens roared with applause.

"Thank you!" Moses called, bowing to the audience. "Now I'll show you just how strong our bond is!"

He got down on all fours, and Giet climbed onto his back. Moses addressed the audience again.

"Our bond is so strong, I can even let Giet ride on my back! Yeehaw!"

To demonstrate further, Moses began to crawl around the stage with Giet still on his back. The audience began to murmur nervously. Giet hopped down from Moses' back, and Moses stood up.

"All right, Giet! Fetch!" Moses threw three spears into the air. Giet leaped into the air, catching all three in a single bound. Upon landing, Giet delivered the spears back to Moses.

"Can your dog do that?" Moses asked.

The citizens glanced at each other.

"And now, our final trick!" Moses hopped onto Giet's back. Giet dashed back and forth across the stage several times. He then stopped in the center, and Moses hopped down. The audience applauded yet again.

"Let's hear it for Moses!" Curtis called. "I wish I had a pet who could do that."

"Hey, Giet ain't no pet!" Moses yelled. "He's my family!"

"Oh right." Curtis went on. "Now our final contestant, Shirley Fennes!"

Shirley stepped onstage with her canvas. "Um...thank you, everyone. My entry...isn't really an entry...but here's what I did."

She held up the canvas, displaying her colored message: "TALENT SHOULD NOT BE A COMPETITION!!!"

This caused more murmurs within the crowd. "Talent shouldn't be a competition? I don't understand..."

"I think this talent show was a great idea," Shirley said. "But somehow the fun went out of it. The pure joy of sharing talents is gone now that they're keeping score. The thing about winning and losing is...it's not always about winning and losing. Sometimes it's all about playing the game, and having fun."

The audience paused to reflect on her words.

"Thank you very much, Shirley!" Curtis said. "We'll definitely take your words to heart."

Shirley took a bow, then stepped off the stage.

"Now, we'll just be a moment while we add up the scores and determine the winner!" Curtis called.

The group turned to each other and began to converse.

"Y'know, maybe Shirl has a point about competition and all," Norma said.

"Yeah, it's no fun when there's winners and losers," Harriet agreed.

There was a momentary pause.

"But I'm still better than you," Harriet said.

Norma glared at her. "No, you're not."

"My painting's gonna win, not your stupid song!"

"Why not? My song is better than your painting!"

"Y'all don't have to keep bickerin' like that!" Moses cut in. "It's just a medal, right?"

Then Curtis and Isabella returned to the stage along with Madame Musette.

"All right, friends, it's time to announce the winner!" Curtis called. "Your Excellency, if you would, please?"

"Of course," Musette said. "And the winner is..."

There was a steady drumroll as Musette opened her envelope. Everyone waited with sheer anticipation.

_Come on,_ Norma thought. _Norma Beatty, Norma Beatty, Norma Beatty!_

Harriet was having similar hopes. _Harriet Campbell, Harriet Campbell, Harriet Campbell!_

Finally, Musette called out the name. "Moses Sandor!"

"What!?" Norma and Harriet exclaimed in unison.

"Yahoo!" Moses ran excitedly to the stage with Giet in tow.

Jay rolled his eyes. "Yeah...it's just a medal."

"Congratulations, Moses," Musette said.

Moses leaned forward, and Musette put the medal around his neck.

"Thank you, Madame," Moses said. "And thank you, audience!"

He paused as he pulled the medal off. "But I don't really deserve this medal. See, the real winner here is Giet. He's the one who did all the tricks."

He knelt down in front of Giet and placed the medal around his neck. "Here you go, Giet. This medal belongs to you."

Giet let out a prolonged howl.

"Come on, y'all!" Moses called. "Let's hear it for Giet!"

The audience roared with applause yet again.

---------------------

Later that evening, Will sat in his living room reading one of his books when Harriet came in excited with an orange ribbon.

"Hey Dad, guess what!" she called. "While you were in your lab all day, I got an honorable mention!"

"Hey, congratulations," Will said. "So who won the talent show?"

"Moses...but he gave his medal to Giet, so that was pretty cool."

Then Norma came in and sat down beside Will.

"Hey Norma, I got an honorable mention!" Harriet taunted.

Norma rolled her eyes as she held up her ribbon. "Big deal. So did I."

"Ah, phooie."

Next, Shirley entered the house.

"Shirley, how did your protest go?" Will asked.

"It went well," Shirley said. "Madame Musette said that they'll continue the annual talent show, but it won't be a contest anymore."

"That's great."

"Hey Dad, aren't you the same person who pressured Shirley to win?" Harriet asked.

"Well, I thought about it and realized that I was wrong. Some games just aren't fun with competition."

"Yeah..." Shirley looked at her ribbon.

"I see you got an honorable mention as well," Will pointed out. "So it all worked out in the end."

"It's no big deal. Everyone who enters the talent show gets one of those."

Harriet sighed. "Oh. They call it an 'honorable mention,' but we're really just losers!"

"You are not losers!" Will insisted.

"If you're not the winner, you're a loser."

"No, you're just artists whose work is unappreciated. Just like Vincent Van Gogh. He never sold a painting in his entire lifetime. He was completely unappreciated until after his death."

"So that means that my painting will be famous after I'm dead?" Harriet asked.

"Absolutely," Will said.

"Ooh, ooh! Then my song will be famous after I die too, right?" Norma asked.

"Of course."

Harriet gave her father an odd look. "Dad, do you even know what you're saying?"

"He's probably had his nose in the books for too long," Norma said.

Will stood up and bonked her on the head.

"Ow! Well, I'm going back to the inn now. Goodnight." Norma turned and left the house.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go to bed, too." Harriet went upstairs to her room.

Will and Shirley sat on the sofa.

"Will, you really understand my protest?" Shirley asked.

"Yes. I'm sorry I behaved badly before. I only wanted Harriet to have the success that I never had."

"But you're successful, Will. You've got a great job and a daughter to be proud of."

"Still, I think I pushed her too hard. In the beginning, she didn't even want to enter the talent show. So I think you did the right thing by submitting your protest painting."

Shirley stood up and looked up at the ceiling. "I can help change things...in sports and other contests, too! If I could make you understand, Will...then maybe I can change the whole world!"

Her siloquoy was interrupted by a soft snoring sound. She turned to find that Will had fallen asleep right there on the sofa. And in the middle of her speech, too. The nerve!

Shirley just smiled and shook her head. She took the blanket from the sofa and placed over Will, then gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Finally, she quietly left the house.

-----------------------  
**Harriet received the title of Future Famous Dead Artist!  
****Norma received the title of Future Famous Dead Pop Star!**


End file.
